Percy James Blackmore

Service number: 1150

Rank: Lance Corporal

Unit: 20th Battalion (Infantry)

Service: Australian Army

Date of death: 27 July 1916

Cemetery or memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France

War Grave Register notes:

BLACKMORE, Lce Cpl. Percy James, 1150. 20th Bn. 27th July, 1916. Age 27. Son of the late James Blackmore, and of Louisa Matilda Board (formerly Blackmore), of 170, Warwick Rd., Carlisle, England. Born at Fulham, England.

Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army.

Percy Blackmore was born at Fulham, London. He went to school at Shibbear College, North Devon. In civilian life he was a wholesale drapery warehouseman, and had served a four-year apprenticeship in Exmouth. He had had rifle training with the Queen Victoria Rifles (Territorials) in London. He came to Australia in 1913, aged 23.

He was 26 when he enlisted on 7 April 1915.He served at Gallipoli from 16 August 1915, and was wounded on 30 November 1915. He was admitted to hospital ship with jaundice on 12 December 1915. On 1 April 1916 he was promoted to L/Cpl at Steenbecque. He was reported missing, believed killed in action, on 27 July 1916, in France, in the fighting around Pozieres.

His connection with the Manly area is not clear, but it is likely he was living locally, since he supplied Manly Council with a copy of his photograph. His mother, Mrs Louisa Board, living in England stated on the Roll of Honour circular that she wished him to be commemorated on the Manly Memorial, and gave the name of Miss E McKenzie, Toyama, Cliff Street, Manly as a friend or relative who could be contacted, possibly Percy’s sweetheart.